More Than One
by FirstLove15
Summary: Takes place after latest episode ISOBEL. After Elena's mom Isobel makes it very clear that Damon is in love with Elena,Elena decides to confront Damon on this matter. Thinking about making it into a full scale story, let me know what you think! :
1. Unexpected Behavior

I heard the familiar sound of the air being faintly disturbed as Stefan whisked to my side.

"Didn't take you long." I smiled.

He took a seat next to me looking out over the lake that lay before us. The sun was beginning to set and the symphony of crickets began to rise.

"You asked me to meet you, I was kind of worried. What's going on?" He asked, his brows pulling together in concern. I sighed and sat for a few more moments of silence not looking forward to this conversation but knowing it was completely necessary.

"Well, I thought we should talk about what Isabelle said last night." I answered in a hurried nervous rush. Stefan's face seem to tighten and then relax and he nodded choosing to focus his eyes far across the lake.

"You don't have to worry, I had a talk with him and he's not planning on bothering you with anything."

I was confused about his response. I wasn't worried about Damon bothering me I was just worried about Damon, maybe even curious about the truth behind it.

"It's not me that I'm worried about, it's him Stefan." I explained. I watched his face tighten again but this time it didn't relax. "Look I just, think I'd like to speak to him about it. Just talk it out you know?" I asked.

He nodded. "We can go now if you'd like I guess." Stefan answered.

"Actually, If you don't mind I'd rather speak to him alone. I just think it would be more comfortable for him." I answered. He glanced up at me with a worried expression. I laughed lightly.

"What's wrong? Your not worried are you? You know I love you Stefan." I finished serious again. He nodded.

I drove up in the familiar driveway of the Salvatore manor. My heart picked up in pace as I stepped out the car. After knocking on the door a couple of times I decided to let myself in. I walked into the dimly lit forger and peered into the living room. I heard nothing and saw Damon nowhere.

"Damon!" I called. "It's me."

"What are you doing here?" Damon asked appearing suddenly at the bottom of the stairs only a few feet away.

"Hey." Was all I answered. He looked at me for a moment, his frown lines ran deep. He was clad in black and holding a scotch glass that was almost empty. I noted that he had obviously been drinking. "I just wanted to talk to you." I continued after a moment. He sharp breath escaped from him and I realized he was smiling. He looked down at the glass he was holding, his black hair falling into his eyes. "Please." I said.

"What is there to talk about?" He replied as he began to walk towards the living room. I followed him.

"About last night Damon. You know what I'm talking about." I answered as he came to a sudden halt.

"What about it?" He answered stubbornly. I stood for a moment suddenly feeling unable to form words. "I- I just wanted to know if it's true." I answered, the sound of Isabelles words echoing through my head. _Damon is in love with you._

He turned towards the liquor cabinet and pulled the scotch out to no doubt pour another glass.

"Damon." I said again when he didn't answer.

"Elena, just drop it. Isabelle is just trying to start things." I listened to him pour a large glass of scotch. He took a sip and laid it back down but stayed turned away from me.

"Damon that doesn't answer my question. Are you....inlove with me?" I took a moment to get the words out and as my heart sped up I almost suddenly wished that Stefan had come with me.

"Elena, please." He seemed to plead. I walked up right behind him.

"Just answer the question." I said. After a few moments of silence I reached up and pulled on his shoulder. As he turned to face me I almost gasped at the look on his face. It was tortured and vulnerable. It was a look I had never seen from his stone facade he kept perpetually plastered on his face. And then I was suddenly aware of the tears that had quickly formed in his sharp blue eyes.

"Tell me." I forced out in a choked whisper.

"Why are you doing this to me Elena? What does it matter?" He spoke softly.

"Damon, please just tell me the truth. Are you in love with me?" I spoke each word carefully without breaking contact with his eyes. He squeezed his eyes shut suddenly in what seemed like a stitch of pain. And then finally he opened them slowly. His blue eyes gazed softly across my face.

"Yes." He whispered. Then something happened I didn't expect. I warm feeling flooded my body and my heart fluttered against my chest. I suddenly realized that despite my love for Stefan and despite the way I felt about Damon in the beginning that it may not have been my concern that brought me here for this. It may have been how I feel and I suddenly realized that I might just be in love with Damon as well, and all I wanted to do at this moment is make the tortured pain on his face go away. I reached up to touch his face but he flinched away.

"Do you think it's just because I look like Catherine?" I asked not knowing if I wanted the answer.

"No, your completely different than her." He answered quietly.

"How am I so different." I asked suddenly realizing that I wasn't any better than her now that my heart was split into between them both.

He reached up slowly running his fingers down my face and down my neck and flattening his hand against my collar bone.

"Your warm, and soft. Your kind and loving." He ran both of his hands softly down both sides of my face. My whole body grew so weak I didn't know if I'd be able to stand. I suddenly realized that he was capable of being gentle and loving. Suddenly I felt tortured myself. I thought of Stefan waiting somewhere out in the city for me to return and felt the aching in my heart of the freshly severed line down the middle. I looked up at Damon's beautiful face, his ocean eyes and dark hair tousled around his face. He looked deeply at me for a moment and then suddenly we were closing in. I was only a split second away from meeting my lips to his when he jerked back suddenly and pulled himself away.

"Damon." Was all I could say.

"I can't do this Elena. I can't do this again." He spoke quietly.

"Do what again?"

"Let myself go. Give my heart out." he answered a little more loudly. He swung around to face me. "I can't feel that again all over. Your with my brother, you love him and I know that so go, please. I just want you to be happy." He turned to walk away.

I couldn't believe I was about to say what I was. "Damon please, don't choose right now to be selfless." He stopped suddenly and before I knew it I was being picked up in his arms. His mouth crashing into mine. I ran my hands violently through his dark hair and he threw me onto the huge chase in the middle of the living room. He slid on top of me pulling his mouth from mine and running in down my neck. He reached under my shirt and the feeling of his warm hands all over me simply paralyzed me.

"I see your talk went well." I heard his voice ring out. I gasped and jumped up to see Stefan standing in the doorway his eyes burning with pain and anger. His eyes flashed from mine to Damon's. Damon looked down to the floor and up to me. Then he turned and left.


	2. Two Halves Of My Heart

I stood there frozen with my eyes locked on Stefan as Damon left the room. I could swear the only sound in the room was my heart wrapping against my chest. I studied the features of Stefan's beautiful face. A beautiful face that I knew once to bring me comfort and happiness. Instead I found myself with the sickened twisted feeling in my stomach and a strangled feeling of my heart trying to find it's way back to it's other half. However it failed. One half belonged to Stefan and the other, to Damon.

"I'm sorry." I finally said weakly.

Stefan looked to the floor, his lashes casting troubled shadows across his cheekbones.

"Are you sorry because this was a mistake, because you got caught up in the moment, maybe because Damon pulled off yet another intoxicating show and you fell for it? Or, are you sorry because......because you love him?" He said with heartbreaking sadness in his voice.

I couldn't help but to flashback to everything that had just happened to me. Damon's piercing blue eyes, his soft hands running across my body, and the vulnerable but gentle side of him I had never seen. I also knew that the way I felt right now was something I couldn't explain, not even if someone was standing right in front of me waiting for an explanation. I wanted to run into Stefan's arms. I wanted him to hold me close to him and play with the ends of my hair the way he usually did. I wanted everything back to normal. I also wanted to hold Damon as close as I could, feel his mouth searching for mine, I wanted to be able to promise he could always count on me to be there by his side no matter what. Damon's hard exterior had been peeled away for the first time in decades because of me, I suddenly felt so much pain in my heart I began to feel sick.

"I don't know anything right now Stefan, except that I'm truly sorry you're hurting right now."

He cringed at my explanation.

"I thought you loved me Elena." He almost whispered frantically taking a few steps toward me. I could barely handle this. Stefan's soft sweet features were twisted into genuine hurt.

"I do love you Stefan, I wasn't lying when I said that. I swear I love you." I realized I was speaking through tears, my voice coming out scratchy and worn. He shook his head violently.

"Then how could you DO this to me!" His voice raised. I couldn't take it anymore. I broke into sobs.

"That's enough." I heard Damon's voice suddenly. He sauntered back into the room. I watched as he crossed the room in an unusually slow manner and made his way over to me. I froze where I stood stuck in the haze between heartache and butterflies bursting around in my stomach. Damon's face had reformed into it's usual iced over expression. He reached up and wiped the tears away that had stained my face. His expression melted for a few seconds and became the sweet soft look I had seen earlier. I wanted to reach up and brush his dark hair from his eyes. I wanted to wrap myself in him and just not worry anymore.

"Get away from her Damon." Stefan warned in a low even voice. Damon's eyes narrowed and the ice reformed. He turned from me to face Stefan.

"I will get away from her Stefan, but you will stop standing here taking all this out on her. This discussion is for us brother. There's no need to upset her right now." Damon answered. There was no sarcastic undertone, no bitterness and insensitivity. It was a tone of voice that was so sincere and new to my ears.

Suddenly I just felt like I wanted to be out of there. I couldn't handle the feeling of my heart trying to separate and fly off into two different directions. The hurt I had caused them both was murder to me. I saw Stefan's face relax into his usual soft and kind features and the only thing left as he peered at me over Damon's protective shoulder was concern and love for me. How could I do this to these angels. These dark angels that I loved so much.

(Okay so after the reviews I received yesterday I decided I would keep writing on this and yes there will be more to come in the very near furture. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE post reviews and let me know what you think. Your excitement for these stories is what pushes me to write them. Thanks guy!)


	3. A Good Brother

I couldn't take any more of this. The tension in the room was building by the second and I had to get out. I couldn't take the ache in my heart, I could hear it ripping at the seams. I ducked by Damon and walked briskly past Stefan and straight to the door.

"I'm sorry, I have to go." I said quietly. They didn't move. They didn't speak. They just stared at one another. I made it outside and into my car. I was disturbed by the first thing that entered my mind on my way home. I thought about what would have happened if Stefan hadn't have walked in. I tried to to tell myself that it was a good thing that happened, that it stopped me from making a mistake. _Mistake? _As soon as I thought the word, it just felt wrong, it felt absolutely wrong to think of it as a mistake, because it felt absolutely right, even as I drove home I still felt the burn in my face, the butterflies and my head swimming with the little pictures of his hands on me. His gentle, beautiful face inches from mine. The look in his eyes when he swept me from the ground, violently like a dam had been broken. Then the thought of losing Stefan entered my mind and I couldn't bare the thought. I felt like I was going crazy. I had to have Damon, I had to have Stefan.

Damon sank into the couch, leaning forward he clasped his hands together and hung his head, studying the individual grains of the dark oak floor waiting for his brother to speak. Stefan walked closer and leaned against the small table that served for a mini bar.

"Damon, I thought we talked about this. I told you history would not be repeating itself and now this?"

"I'm sorry Stefan." Damon mumbled still staring at the floor. Stefan's brows pulled together in confusion. He couldn't remember the last time his brother had said he was sorry and meant it. Perhaps when they were still human. Stefan shook his head and sighed.

"I need you to tell me something, and be honest, if you can handle that." Stefan added.

Damon nodded.

"What was that? Was it lust? Were you just trying to prove something to me? Or do you actually love her?" Stefan asked leaning on the table and folding his arms.

"Does it really matter Stefan?" Damon looked up at him.

"I saw this coming, I should have known." Stefan mumbled. "I've seen this since almost the beginning, but ever since I was shut up in the cell....it's just been different." Stefan took a few steps closer to Damon.

Damon stood up. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"That's it? Why are you acting so weird anyway Damon? Where's the dripping sarcasm, the hateful, careless brother I've had for so long? I'm starting to think that my life was easier when you were acting like an asshole. Maybe I shouldn't have been so hard on you." Stefan began growing frustrated.

Damon took a step closer. "Well it just so happens you don't have anything to worry about. I don't want her. Correction, I can't ...want her. So you two can just carry on with your lives. Forget all this." Damon turned to walk away.

"What's the catch?" Stefan asked.

Damon turned back to face him. "There is no catch. You've done a lot for me over the years, maybe it's about time I sacrifice something."

Stefan frowned not sure if it was possible to believe Damon could be so charitable.

"Okay, well that's enough Mr. Rogers, vomit inducing sweet talk for me." Damon flashed a wide grin. He walked over and picked his jacket up off the floor.

"Where are you going?" Stefan asked.

"To Elena's." Damon answered pushing his arms into his jacket.

Stefan raised his brows in curiosity.

"Relax....I'm going to set things on the right path. Might as well get that over with right?" He flashed another smile and left.

I walked into the kitchen where Jenna stood making a sandwich on the island.

"Hey Elena! You want one?" She gestured to the dismantled sandwich on the counter.

"No thanks, I'm going to go get some rest. It's been an exhausting day." I said heading towards the stairs.

"Yeah you need to make sure you rest up, there's that dance tomorrow." She reminded me.

"Yep." I nodded making my way up the stairs. _I forgot! How could I have forgotten!? _I thought to myself. There was the Founders Ball tomorrow. One of the many events that had been going for weeks now. Not to mention Founders Day right around the corner. I hadn't helped Bonnie and Caroline with the float at all. My mind was so clouded it was hard to imagine life even carrying on. I stood for a moment in the hallway staring at Jeremy's closed door. I contemplated trying to negotiate a conversation with him but realized I was too emotionally strained to attempt that. I went into my room and threw my bag to the floor. I fell onto the bed. I awoke what seemed like hours later and instantly noticed my window was open, the curtains blew silently like a ghost. I instantly turned my head and found Damon sitting in a chair not far from my bed.

"Damon." I sat up quickly.

"Sleeping beauty." He replied smiling lightly. My heart instantly picked up and he smiled even wider no doubt noticing it. Everything came rushing in. The butterflies, my head spinning and the torment of my severed heart. I instantly began to choke on tears and sobs escaped before I had a chance to register I was crying. His smile fell instantly and he flashed to my side on the bed.

"No no no, Elena don't cry." He lifted my chin with his finger and ran his other hand down the side of my face. My face burned with blush as my tears ceased. Under his beautiful gaze no tears were possible. I allowed him to stare directly into my eyes for what seemed like forever. The quiet intimacy of this silent communication was almost too much to bare. I reached up and ran my hands through his midnight hair and watched fall back around his eyes that fluttered shut and then opened.

"I'm glad your here." I whispered. He frowned as if that bothered him but before I had the chance to ask his lips met mine so softly it nearly took my breath away. I let his warm kiss take over me. Chills pulsed through me as it became more intense. He laid me down and his body pressed against mine. His mouth ran across my jaw and down my neck. I wrapped my hands around his neck and let out an unstoppable sigh when I felt his hand begin to slide up my thigh. His mouth found mine again and I ran my tongue softly across his lips. He let out the smallest moan and then suddenly he was standing beside the bed. Shocked I sat up.

"What is it?" I asked out of breath. My body was still so weak I could barely form the words.

"I shouldn't have done that. This isn't what I came here for." He replied.

"Why did you come here?" I asked weakly. He stood silent for a moment seeing to think about what he was going to say and then sat back down on the bed.

"I came here to tell you I'm sorry." He answered quietly running his fingers over the pattern of the lace at the bottom of my sundress.

"Sorry for what?" I asked confused. His brows pulled together seemingly troubled again.

"I can't do this." He whispered still staring down at the bed, blatantly avoiding eye contact. It felt like I had been punched in the chest.

"Damon, I know this isn't easy but there has to be something we can do."

"What? What Elena? What do you suppose we do? Are you going to walk away from Stefan?" His eyes became severe and were now boring into mine. I filtered his question, but had no answer.

"You want Stefan and I to share you, just pass you back and forth?" His face twisted into a strange expression of what seemed to be anger. "Your not Katherine, your better than that. More precious than that."

I touched is face lightly and watched him involuntarily lean into it. " I want you Damon." I whispered. His expression was now pain.

"Please don't say that." He replied and then he moved my hand from his face. It hurt so horribly to feel straight up rejected by him suddenly.

"I thought you loved me." I said. His head dropped suddenly and he stared at the sheets. I wanted to cry so bad, but the lump in my throat was so thick I couldn't manage to let it go. "Was that a lie?" I asked. When he looked up the pain on his face was almost unbearable to look at. Tears began to stream down his face and I firmly believe I quit breathing. I still couldn't help but to be shocked to see him that way. This Damon who was soft, and vulnerable.

"I do love you Elena. I love you like you will never understand. But -" He squeezed the bridge of his nose with his fingers and inhaled slowly.

"But what?" I asked.

He put his hand down and stared right into my eyes. The tears began to wail up again seeming to make his blue eyes lighter.

"But Katherine ripped my heart straight out of my chest Elena. I loved her. I sincerely loved that girl. I should have seen straight through it but love makes you do stupid things, and it makes you so blind. I can't make that mistake again. I can't go through an end again. I might actually lay down and die if I should." He spoke these sincere words through tears.

"But I'm not like Katherine, you said that." I began to feel the tears forming in my own eyes.

He ran his hand gently through my hair. "No, no your not. I promise that. But you have the power to hurt me, worse then she ever could have. I couldn't survive it and I can't take that chance. I'm not even a good person. I don't deserve you. Stefan does. He's the good one, he is truly a good guy and he loves you just the same."

I bowed my head and began to cry. I didn't want him to leave my side ever. But just with the mention of Stefan's name I again couldn't bare the pain.

"Elena, even through all of this I haven't let myself go. I haven't let my guard down. If I was to do that, once again....and ….I just can't." He shook his head. He lifted my face up again and kissed my nose. "I have to go." He whispered. I noticed the hint of pain in his eyes. I began to sob. He sighed.

"Elena please. I can't do this." He reached out to touch my face again but stopped and retreated. He got up and walked to the window. I watched him with tears spilling out of my eyes like a tap.

"I'm sorry." He said with a twisted pain on his face. "I can't." and he was gone.

Suddenly from deep down I sobbed so loudly it almost startled me. The pain took over me and I fell into the bed sobbing even louder. Suddenly Jeremy flew into the room.

"Elena?" He asked looking very concerned. I acknowledged him but the sobs still came. He walked to the bed and sat down running his hand on my back.

"What happened?" He asked. I couldn't help but to think that the only way I could get Jeremy to talk to me was to be severely heart broken.

"He doesn't want me." I managed through the sobs.

"Stefan?!" He asked.

"Damon." I answered. Jeremy's eyes popped open in pure surprise.

"What about Stefan?" He asked confused.

"I'm right here." I heard his voice in the room suddenly. Jeremy look up and nodded towards Stefan's voice.

"I love you sis." Jeremy whispered and then he was gone and suddenly I was looking at Stefan. Standing awkwardly by my bed, his face flat with sadness and concern. He kneeled by the bed and slowly slid his hand across the sheets. He touched my face wiping away the tears. He began to pull his hand back but I reached out and held onto it.


	4. A New Heartache

After a while Stefan climbed into the bed and pulled me into his arms. There were no words, just the gentle stroke of his hand over my hair as I lay there crying. I came to the sudden realization that I had become a monster. Stefan was laying there comforting me. ME! While I cried over his brother. I couldn't imagine how he was feeling. I was turning into a monster for sure. I was turning into Katherine. I knew in that instant that, that must have been how he felt. Like he was reliving all of this from so many years ago. It was this that made me cry even harder.

"Elena, please talk to me." He spoke so softly. I turned my red swollen eyes up to his. His lashes casting deep shadows under his eyes his lips falling into a pout, he was beautiful. Why did that have to be. I tucked my head into his chest.

"Elena, you can talk to me. No matter what it is." He continued. I closed my eyes , comforted by the deep vibrations in his chest when he spoke.

"I love you Stefan." I managed to squeak out. He looked down at me and tried to smile.

"I know you do." He said.

"I love Damon to." I said beginning to cry and throwing my head back into his chest. Waiting to embrace whatever he had coming.

"I know you do." He replied softly. I looked back up to him. His eyes were soft and kind and even understanding. There was no trace of anger or resentment.

"Why aren't you angry Stefan, you should hate me." I said, my voice finally coming back.

He smiled. "I will never hate you, Elena. And I'm sorry about earlier today when I lost my cool. I was more upset because everything I knew was going to happen, did. I guess I had just talked myself into believing I was being paranoid." He said running his thumb over my cheek.

"So what now?" I asked.

"That's kind of what I wanted to ask you." Stefan replied. We lay in silence for a while side by side facing each other. He ran his fingers up and down my arm.

"If you will still have me then, I guess we just carry on with our lives as usual. Nothings happening with me and Damon and I'm sorry about everything. I guess we go to the ball tomorrow and founders day as planned. I guess we just …. carry on." I smiled weakly up at Stefan. He smiled in return. He seemed peaceful and relaxed. He leaned in a kissed me and I was thankful to feel the jolt of electricity I felt every time he kissed me, every time he touched me. He pulled the covers up over our heads and we sank into a deep kiss. Later that night as I drifted off to sleep, Damon was waiting for me there in my dreams. Isobel was right. I was definitely doomed.

The next day I felt much better. I stood in the bathroom for hours getting my hair ready for the ball. I had more hope that day. I loved Stefan and I was happy with him, I truly was and Damon was better off without anyone according to him. So my life could go back to normal. As normal as my life can be. I was even growing excited about the ball tonight. The entire town was going to be there and it couldn't have come at a better time. I just wanted to dance the night away with my beautiful Stefan and have a good time. I stood curling my hair when I heard a knock at the door.

"Come in!" I called. Jeremy came into the bathroom and took a seat on a padded stool not far from me. He stared curiously at me with his head slightly cocked to the side. It was almost comical if not annoying.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He finally said.

"I'm doing a lot better. Thanks for checking in on me last night." I answered.

"so umm......Damon? Salvatore?" He asked shaking his head.

"It's really complicated Jeremy." I answered struggling with one of the curls I was trying to accomplish.

"Yeah, it's complicated because he's an asshole Elena. What are you thinking?" He asked growing frustrated.

"He's not an asshole." I snapped. His eyes widened.

"Elena are you being serious?" He stood up and took the curling iron out of my hand turning me to face him.

"Jeremy, he's not as bad as people think, he just really.....misunderstood." I answered shrugging.

Jeremy shook his head. "Right, so is this the same guy you were crying your eyes out over last night?" He asked sarcastically.

"Jeremy, thank you for your concern seriously. It's really sweet. But you really don't have to worry. Everything is fine. Stefan and I are fine and I am no more than a friend to Damon so just don't worry okay?" I picked up the curling iron.

"Alright." He shrugged and turned towards the door.

"Jeremy, are we okay now? I mean can we talk about everything?" I glanced at him behind me through the mirror.

"I love you Elena and I was concerned, but as for everything else. No, we're not okay." He left before I could reply.

Stefan opened the passenger side door and held out his hand to help me out. The town banquet hall was absolutely stunning. It was decked in white strung lights, thousands of dollars worth of flowers and decorations. Huge white lanterns and added archways. The crowd was huge already, gorgeous gowns splashing color everywhere you looked. Arm in arm we made our way inside. The huge dome like ceiling was lit up with spotlights and the place had never looked more grand and outstanding as it did now.

"Elena!" I heard a voice ring out. I looked over by the huge ivory fountain where I saw Caroline and Matt. She waved excitedly and motioned for me to come over. I looked up at Stefan who nodded and we made our way over.

"Omigod Omigod! Elena you look amazing!" Caroline chimed.

"You to!" I replied. Stepping back to get a better look at her dress.

"Hey Stefan." Matt held his hand out to shake Stefan's hand. I noticed there was a small hesitation and then he took his hand. I looked up to see Stefan's face but he was frowning and concentrating on something over the crowd.

"What's wrong?" I asked. He kept looking but then his face relaxed and he shook his head.

"Nothing, everything's fine." He smiled but it seemed forced.

We made our way around the place saying hello to everyone. I was right, the entire town had made it here. Before I could stop it I wondered if he was here. Suddenly all I could think about was if Damon was here somewhere. I couldn't bring myself to ask Stefan. The energy of the place seemed to grow stronger to almost a buzzing. I found myself searching rapidly through the faces.

"Would you like to dance?" Stefan asked smiling down at me.

"Sure." I answered. We made out way through the crowd and onto the huge dance floor. The floor was absolutely alive with people dancing and moving about. Stefan led me to a small open spot and faced me. He pulled me close and we began to turn and sway. I continued my search but wasn't as discrete as I thought I was.

"He's here." Stefan answered my silent question. I looked up and noticed a slight sadness in his eyes when he noticed I was searching for him. I looked at him stunned not sure what to say. So instead he just nodded towards the balcony above us. I looked up and saw Damon looking down at us. He smiled lightly and nodded once. He swirled the wine in his glass just the slightest bit and then turned, disappearing out of sight. I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked back to Stefan. He was studying my face carefully. I smiled.

A little while later we found ourselves standing in a group that was My brother, Anna who was seemingly more quiet tonight, Caroline, Matt, Bonnie and a guy named Corey. We were laughing and having a good time, although I had the nagging thoughts in the back of my mind I was having a pretty good time. While we were all talking Stefan's hand that had been running through the back of my hair abruptly stopped and I felt him tense up at my side. I turned to see what was wrong. I followed his gaze to see Damon taking a shot of whiskey, and then another and another one. He sat it down and leaned against one of the ivory pillars almost like he was trying to hold himself up. Then I noticed the girl with her back against the pillar. He leaned in with a wide grin on his face and whispered something in her ear. She giggled ridiculously. My stomach twisted in knots and I looked quickly to the ground.

"Good guy." Jeremy stated sarcastically looking over at me. I looked up to Stefan. He looked uncomfortably away. When I looked back over Damon and the girl were gone.

Stefan wound up inviting over all of our friends to the Salvatore house when he realized that I didn't want to be there anymore but we still needed to have a little fun. Us and about five other cars followed us out. We all walked into the house to be met by loud music filling the air. Stefan, myself, Caroline, Matt, Bonnie, Corey and about six other people made our way into the living room and found a party already taking place. Apparently Damon already had party plans of his own. People were everywhere. I finally spotted him sitting on the couch with that blond girl straddling his lap kissing his neck. He reached over picked up a glass of scotch and downed it and say it back down. As she moved her mouth to under his ear he looked up and caught my stare and smiled darkly.


	5. Damned If I Do

My mouth fell open but I quickly composed myself as I turned to Stefan. He looked apologetically at me.

"Are you okay?" He asked trying to keep his voice down. All of our guest began to join the party and Jeremy glared at me and then at Damon.

"I'm fine." I lied. "I'll be right back." I tried to sound completely un bothered. I took off upstairs and ran into Stefan's bedroom. Before I even had the door closed I began sobbing. I tried to stay as quiet as I could knowing the ears that could hear me from here were probably listening. Suddenly the sadness was cut completely off and it was replaced by anger. I wiped the tears away looking at myself in the mirror. I wasn't mad at Damon. How did I have a right to be. This is what Damon did all the time. What did I expect to change from one day to the other? The reality was that Damon wasn't mine and why I expected him to still be the soft man I experienced last night I don't know. Damon was Damon. I had to except that. I was however angry at myself. So horribly enraged at myself for reacting this way. I had a beautiful and kind man downstairs that loved every fiber of my being and all I'm doing is consistently ripping him apart. I was angry at myself for acting like such a bitch. Acting like....Katherine. If this is how it was then this is how it would be. I rechecked myself in the mirror and flipped my hair over my shoulder and made my way back downstairs. When I reached the bottom the party was in full swing. Everyone was laughing, playing, drinking. Having a good time. Stefan stood towards the end of the living room talking to Matt and Caroline. As soon as I made it halfway down the stairs he met my gaze and half smiled out of relief but was still clearly worried. I in return flashed the biggest smile I could force my mouth to make. I involuntarily flashed my glance towards Damon. He was flirting with the same girl in the opposite corner of the room. He had apparently dumped the concept of a glass and was drinking straight out of the bottle. He had a higher tolerance then humans but he looked as if he was bound and determined to exceed his limit tonight. He wrapped an arm around the girls waist and continued to mumble into her ear and again she burst into an obnoxious laughter. I looked away and ignored the sting and headed straight to Stefan.

"Hey you okay-" He was cut off because I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him as passionately as I ever have. He pulled away.

"What are you doing?" He asked confused.

"What does it look like." I answered breathlessly. He smiled and leaned in kissing me again. After a minute Caroline laughed probably out of discomfort. I let go of Stefan and laughed. I turned and walked across the room standing not three feet away from Damon. The table was filled with several bottles of un opened liquor. Damon had the open one in his hand turned upside down at the moment. I took one of the new bottles cracked it open and poured it into a glass. I looked over right as Damon looked up and caught my eye. He noticed what I was doing and left the blond in mid sentence and half stumbled in my direction. I pretended not to see him approaching and he leaned up against the table.

"Can I see some I.D?" He mused. I looked over as a wild smile spread across his face. I noticed he had dark circles under his eyes, but they still shined aqua marine.

"Your hilarious." I replied dryly and gulped down a few swallows of whiskey. It burned horribly and my eyes watered. When I looked back at him I caught a glimpse of seriousness on his face but it quickly twisted back into a smirk.

"Who's the girl?" I asked even though I wished I hadn't.

"Who, her?" He asked hooking his thumb over his shoulder. "Her name is Veronica." He said her name suggestively, over pronouncing the syllables. Smiling wildly. I picked the glass up and again poured it down my throat welcoming the burn.

"Hey take it easy." He said pulling the glass out of my hand and setting it on the table.

"What does it matter? You know I'll be spending the night here." I said.

He seemed to slightly cringe at the comment but quickly regained his careless smug.

"Well-" He put the glass back in my hand and bumped the bottle he was holding on my glass. "Cheers to that." He winked and walked back to _Veronica_, and as if perfectly orchestrated slid his hand behind her neck and kissed her deeply. The stubborn lump in my throat returned but I was determined to ignore it. I was suddenly feeling the warm buzz of the alcohol in my blood and it felt nice. I made my way back to Stefan. He eyed the drink in my hand and smiled.

"I can't say I blame you." He spoke softly in my ear. I laughed. He made his way over to the table and came back with a glass of his own. Meanwhile I listened as Caroline informed me on the romantic weekend her and Matt had. Matt stirred uncomfortably during the story but managed to smile so very sincerely every time she looked up at him. I noticed around me the party was pretty big. It was the biggest party I had ever actually seen. The base of the music pulsed deeply through the house and people filled up every inch of the huge space that was the Salvatore house. I was on my third glass of scotch when I had to work on my coordination. Of course Stefan was doing just fine even though he had out drank me already. He had begun a heavy game of pool with Matt and each team had grown in size as each game began. I stood to the side watching each turn but glancing frequently into the living room where Damon threw back drink after drink. Veronica never left his side but even as he spoke to other people her mesmerized gaze never faltered.

A sudden burst of cheering broke out around the table as Stefan made a winning shot. My attention snapped back to where it belonged and I clapped. Stefan bounced over smiling and kissed me on the forehead. After a few minutes they began into a new game. I poured down another glass of scotch. I looked back over to the living room. To Damon. He was the center of attention as usual. He was walking around the crowd telling stories, spewing his comical, charming one liners one by one. His sarcasm was felt all the way to the pool table. But Veronica stayed right with him.

"So Elena, what's on your mind?" Caroline's voice in my ear interrupted my thought's.

"What do you mean?" I asked stupidly taking a large gulp of my drink.

She cocked her head to the side in a large gesture of Yeah, please don't play dumb with me, look. "I mean the fact that you've been staring down Damon Salvatore all night." She answered. I cringed as I saw Stefan cringe when he heard what Caroline had almost whispered.

"Ummm, can we go outside and speak?" I asked. She nodded with a face full of I knew it.

I led her out to a large balcony in the back of the house. I knew with the noise level inside, including the music and the people that out here Stefan may not be able to hear.

Caroline took a huge sip from her drink. "Okay, so tell me what's going on." She borderline demanded.

"There's nothing going on." I answered and tried to laugh a little to make it believable. I failed.

"Psh, yeah." She scoffed. "Whether you had been staring at him all night or not I still know something is going on." She laughed.

"How's that?" I asked.

"Cause of the way he's been staring at you." She cracked up and began laughing. She had obviously been drinking. However I was having trouble standing so I had no room to talk.

"He's been looking at me?" I asked.

"Okay and now the fact that you asked about that, now I know for sure." She continued to laugh.

"It's not a huge deal Caroline, we just had sort of a run in with each other and it's a little weird between us right now." I tried to make it very simple.

"Damon is so hot." She giggled. "But so is Stefan." She said as her laughter quieted. "Honestly I guess I was just surprised. I thought you and Stefan would be getting married and having babies by graduation." She smiled sweetly. I smiled in return even though my heart had just completely ripped apart at her comment.

"Well I guess I'll get back in and watch their game." She smiled again and made her way inside.

I waited a few minutes and then went back into the house and to the back door downstairs. I walked out to the edge of the woods behind the house. I sat down by a huge oak and began to cry. I cried because when Caroline made that comment several things hit me at once. What would happen with Stefan and I. I was growing older by the minute while Stefan stayed the same. What children would we have? What children COULD we have? I was suddenly so insecure about the future, not only with my vampire boyfriend but his brother who currently had my heart thoroughly intrigued. What was I going to do?

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the faint familiar sound of Damon's voice not far from where I was. I stood up and peeked around the tree I was at. I saw him several feet away with Veronica.

"You had a great time at the party. But I just wasn't for you and your okay with that. Your ready to go home and get some sleep." He mumbled deeply.

"I think I'm going to go home and get some sleep." Veronica repeated. I was suddenly struck with the realization that he was compelling her. I watched as she slowly turned around and headed off in the opposite direction. He stood with his hands in his pockets watching her leave. I wiped my eyes of tears and stepped clumsily from behind the tree. I was so intoxicated at this point a was seeing double vision.

"Why did you do that?" I asked. He flashed over to me.

"Why are you following me?" He asked seeming to be slightly annoyed.

"I'm not following you, trust me. I just came out here to be alone and here you are, just pulling cheap tricks on peoples minds." I replied.

"She wasn't my type." He answered sarcastically.

"Really cause I thought you were hitting it off pretty well. I thought for sure she would be joining you for bedtime." I hissed. I couldn't believe I was saying these things but the alcohol was running strong.

"I'm not in the mood. I have a headache." He answered again with even more sarcasm. He flashed a smile that made me weak at the knees.

"Well, don't cancel any of your plans on my account." I slurred.

"I didn't send her off to spare your feelings Elena." He said, his eyes became sharp and severe but he was standing within inches of me.

"Good, cause I wasn't either. I was planning on having a pretty eventful night." I stuttered over my words as the alcohol took full effect very rapidly. I figured it was because my heart was beating so fast.

"That's enough." His face fell suddenly when he realized what I was suggesting.

I realized I was trying to hurt him, and the drunkenness had taken me over."What? I was just planning on making love to Stefan. We do that all the time, you should know I'm sure. You have pretty sharp hearing. Maybe you'll hear it tonight." I said.

"Stop it! Stop!!" Damon suddenly grabbed me by the shoulders and gritted his teeth as he ordered my silence. When I finally focused on him I realized his face was suddenly growing dark. His eyes widened and the black shadows became full force. I gasped and pressed myself against a tree behind me. I knew this face as when a vampire was ready to kill or his emotions were out of control.

"Elena, you drive me crazy." He said as he looked down trying to gain his composure. I looked at his face through the double vision. His eyes were soft and gentle. His eyes I couldn't stop thinking about. I watched him for a second study my face in the moonlight that lit up his. Then suddenly I felt sick. I lurched forward falling to my knees and got sick. Damon was at my side in a heart beat. His held my hair back.

"I told you not to drink like that." He mumbled. I looked up at him.

"I just wanted to forget that my life is such a mess." I choked out.

He sat all the way down on the ground and leaned me back in his arms like he was practically holding a new born.

"Why is your life such a mess?" He asked looking intently into my eyes.

"I think I need to be a vampire." I whispered. I felt his arms tense around me, but suddenly my eyes closed without warning and the alcohol took it's effect. I fell into a half sleep as I felt him pick me up and carry me into the house. He made his way upstairs and into a room. He laid me down on the bed.

"Where was she?" I heard Stefan ask.

"She was out in the woods. She drank too much." Damon replied.

"You didn't help Damon, that's for sure." Stefan replied coldly. I realized they both thought I was dead asleep. I was close but I was still conscious enough to hear them.

"Look. I've tried everything Stefan. I went for it, that pissed you off. I let her go and even carried on with my life. That seemed to have pissed you off as well. Damned if I do, damned if I don't do I do brother? You love her. She's with you. I love her. I want her. I'm a fucking mess Stefan. What do you want from me?"

I heard nothing but silence until the bedroom door closed. I felt Stefan fall into the bed beside me. Finally I drifted into a dreamless sleep.

****I would like to thank you all for the amazing reviews I've gotten so far. I seriously write b/c I love to entertain you guys! I like to explore every option in these stories. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave a review for the chapter. I would really love to know what you think. Good, bad, ugly, or even suggestions if you have a strong wish as to where this should go. Just please leave a review.*****


	6. Not My Prisoner

Days went by after that night. The situation never worsened but never let up. I felt like a zombie walking down the halls to classes. The worst part was not only was I distant from Stefan he was growing a tiny bit distant from me. We were right next to each other yet miles apart. We still held hands and kissed when we would part but it had become a mechanical reaction. It wasn't that I didn't love Stefan, because I love him with every aching beat of my heart. I was just too bruised and felt more like I was mourning the loss of a love then celebrating the one I had.

Stefan was distant most likely because he wasn't dumb and he knew what was going through my mind. I had barely seen Damon since that night. Only a couple of times at the house. He would walk through and nod in my direction and quietly disappear. The other time he made some smart remark about the dress I was wearing being colorful enough to burn him alive and then disappeared once more.

Jeremy still wasn't talking to me, Bonnie had gotten even more depressed recently and wasn't talking to anyone. Caroline was obsessing over the float for founders day. I felt very alone and it was beginning to take a toll out on me.

I was headed over to Stefan's this morning to spend some time with him before he left for a small hunting trip. He was not only horribly thirsty himself but he noticed Damon hadn't tried to eat anything over the last week. He was trying to talk him into going with him. Stefan met me at the door as I walked up.

"Hey there." He said lightly. I smiled and walked in. Damon came around the corner swinging on a jacket. His eyes were dark and horribly tired.

He rolled his eyes. "Ugh, why don't you just move in already. I can google a moving truck service for you for crying out loud." Before he even began grumbling out his sentence he shut the door behind him and was gone.

"He seems to be more sarcastic than usual today." I noted.

I turned to Stefan who shrugged. "He needs to eat." He shook his head.

"Where is he going anyway?" I asked.

"He got called by the council. They have had several reports of some attacks further up north of Mystic Falls. So I guess he's going to pretend to help I don't know." He replied.

We hung around the house for a small bit, talking about nothing and avoiding anything that was really on our minds. He kissed me on the forehead as I left and reminded me he would be back the following day. I got in the car and before I knew it, tears once again found their way to my eyes. Something wasn't right. Nothing felt the same. I missed a place I was already in. I missed a person who was always by my side and I longed for someone who could never be mine. Could he? I literally shook my head to remove any question.

It was still early evening so I decided to ride to the cemetery and see my parents. It felt like ages since I had been. I parked the car and began the peaceful walk to where they were. The cool air washed over me and sound of the trees rustling in the breeze calmed me so deeply. I finally made it to where they were buried and collapsed to the ground. I laid my head to the ground, curled up and let the tears fall. I thought to myself that If I just go ahead and let myself cry, whether it be five minutes or the rest of the day, that maybe...just maybe I could finally let go of him. The tears rolled over my face and dripped to the ground. I studied the individual grains of dirt and leaves through my teary vision. I didn't remember crying like this since I was a child.

It seemed to be almost an hour later, I hadn't moved an inch, and the tears still hadn't let up. The breeze became even cooler and the afternoon sun was darkening with on coming clouds. It was then that a pair of hands took me softly by the shoulders and set me upright. As I fell into Stefan's chest I hit the grand finale of my cry fest. I sobbed and apologized over and over while he rocked me back and forth. Finally after my tears quieted, simply for lack of tears left he finally spoke.

"I'm about to leave for my trip. I decided to make sure you were okay before I left. I figured I'd find you here." Stefan said quietly in an almost monotone manner. He pushed lightly on my shoulders and set me up to where I was looking straight into his eyes. He was merely inches away.

"Tell me what it is?" He simply said.

"What?" I spoke for the first time my voice cracking terribly. He looked down to the ground for a moment and then back up to me.

"What can I do to make you happy? That's what I've been asking myself for days. You've been miserable, distant, distracted ….and the crying." He shook his head and looked to the ground again.

"Stefan, I'm so sorry I've been acting this way. I'm so so sorry. I never meant to hurt you I just ...I just need some time and I'll be fine." I said trying to convince myself.

He looked up with the saddest smile. "That's not true Elena. You see your not the only one I've been dealing with this with. I've been watching my brother the past few days and quite honestly, it's more painful to watch than post Katherine. He's starving. The only thing he's taken down is triple his body weight in alcohol. He can't even muster up the energy to be witty with his sarcasm now. I've heard him cry. I thought for a while that you were still with me because you honestly wanted to be. Then it occurred to me today after you left, that you might still be with me because you feel obligated to be." He stared deep in my eyes as he spoke, his eyes shining with forming tears.

"No."I said and I shook my head, but he placed his fingers softly upon my lips to quiet me.

"I just wanted to let you know before I leave for my trip that you really should understand something. I wanted you to know that you have a choice. So maybe you should think about that. I want you Elena. I love you and I want you to be my love.....not my prisoner." He finished speaking and I looked up at his beautiful face, his eyes burning through the tears. His jaw was tensed. I found myself speechless as I stared at him. He leaned in and kissed me softly. I closed my eyes and all the moments we had ever had together flashed through my mind.

"I love you Stefan." I whispered. But when I opened my eyes, he was already gone.

Thunder tore through the sky and the heavy raindrops began to hit the top of my shoulders. I realized I had been sitting there in the cemetery far longer than I thought. I jumped and began to run to my car parked over the hill. The smell of the rain hit me as I ran and I inhaled it. I loved the smell.

"Elena!" I heard my name called and I turned to find Isobel standing a few feet away. I backed up a few steps in sudden alarm.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Good to see you to." She smiled. I rolled my eyes and she made it a foot away from me in a flash.

"I over heard your little conversation with Stefan earlier." She smiled wildly.

"Why were you listening?" I said through gritted teeth.

"You know Elena, Stefan really is a good guy. But let's face it. Damon is quite intoxicating isn't he?" She laughed lightly.

"You don't even really know Damon." I said clenching my fist. She smiled and cocked her head to the side.

"Whatever, if you had just went with him as a first choice you wouldn't be going through this right now." She shook her head.

"I'll ask you one more time....what are you doing here." I began to get angry.

"I came to warn you." She suddenly said seriously.

"What do you mean?" I said as thunder tore through the sky and the rain picked up even harder.

"Well, Katherine has caught word of the rekindled love triangle between you and the Salvatore's . I don't think she's very happy about that." She frowned.

"I don't care what Katherine thinks. What does she care anyway. She walked away from both of them." I replied.

"Please, it's a part of her game Elena. She walked away knowing they would pine over her for decades. And they have....until you came along." She spoke calmly.

"So what does she want?" I asked nervously.

"She wants you dead Elena." She answered simply.

"What?" Was all I could say.

"She's sending a couple of vampires this way to take you out. I just wanted you to know. They will be here shortly." She began to talk with more urgency and began to look around her.

"Why are you warning me?" I asked.

"Elena, you may not like it, but your still my daughter." She smiled strangely. Thunder ripped through the sky. She looked around nervously.

"Go, get out of here Elena!" Her voiced raised with nervousness. I turned and ran to my car and jumped in. I cranked the car and fumbled with my cell struggling to flip it open with my hands shaking violently. I knew Damon was here in town so I dialed his number first.

"What may I help you with?" His answered dryly.

"Where are you?" I tried to keep my voice calm.

"I'm in hell. Where are you?" He replied.

"Damon,please."

"I'm at the bar, what's wrong?" He asked beginning to pick up on my nervousness. I hung the phone up and slammed on the gas towards the usual hang out bar.

I pulled into the parking lot and flew out of my car towards the bar. I didn't get one foot away from my car before my arm was grabbed and I was snatched backwards. I started to scream but a hand covered my mouth. They spun me around and I realized with great relief it was Damon.

"Oh my god you scared me?" I gasped.

"What's going on?" He ordered. Even though I was scared out of my mind and there was an emergency at hand I still couldn't ignore his firm grasp on my arms.

"Isobel was at the cemetery, and she warned me that two vampires are coming here to kill me. Soon." I explained quickly. His eyes sharpened and became furious.

"Did she say why?" He asked.

"Katherine, she doesn't...like me." I answered. His mouth fell open for a split second and then his face grew into a twisted kind of anger I'd never seen. He pulled into him and wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"Everything's going to be okay, Elena. I promise."


	7. Walls Come Down

Quick note: The last half of this chapter was written with the inspiration of _All I Need by Within Temptation. _Which most fans will recognize as Damon and Elenas dance song. If you have the means to listen to it while your reading it's just a suggestion. ;) Please enjoy!

Choices are the hinges of destiny.

~Attributed to both Edwin Markham and Pythagoras

Damon quickly escorted me to the passenger side of the car. He insisted on driving and I put on my seat belt knowing why. As he was spinning tires out of the parking lot he fumbled with his phone dialing Stefan over and over.

"Damn it! He doesn't have a signal!" He tossed the phone in his lap. He took a deep breath and seemed to cloud over into his own thoughts. His face was set in the usual hard lines but his beauty never failed to make me feel weak. I noticed something was different and then I realized he was wearing a loose white collard button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He had on raggedy light blue jeans and even brown flip flops. It was a huge difference between his usual top notch dark designer wear and now he looked like a regular college guy that just so happened to step out of a Calvin Klein ad.

"That's an interesting outfit, for you." I said looking him over. He smiled slightly.

"Your ex boy toy found my cloths more appropriate for the date he forgot about with Caroline." He shook his head and tugged at the shirt seemingly uncomfortable.

My mouth fell open. "Damon Salvatore, you took the cloths off your back to help Matt with a date?" I smiled and shook my head.

"Don't get weepy, have you heard the decimal that Caroline's voice can reach when she whines. I was trying to enjoy a nice double shot of Jack. I didn't need her busting my glass with her earsplitting fit pitching." He mumbled. I couldn't help but to laugh. I looked back at him as a smile spread across his face. Without thinking I went to rest my hand on the console between our seats and I realized Damon's arm was already there when my hand fell right into his. I jerked my hand up and he removed his arm and grabbed the steering wheel now with both hands. My face burned with embarrassment. I sat for a moment looking out of my window to hide the blush on my face, when suddenly his hand took mine. The buzzing of energy at his touch was overwhelming and it wasn't until we pulled into the driveway to his house that I remembered the danger at hand.

Rain had began pouring like sheets outside and the thunder was rolling non stop. Damon squinted out of the windows of the car not seeming to have any difficulty seeing through the rain, at night.

"You know, I don't want to rule it completely out but how do we know your _mother _ is being truthful?" He said with a sharp tongue.

"I don't know, and she's _not _my mother." I corrected.

"She's NOT my mother." He mocked. I went to punch his shoulder but he dodged me and I hit the seat. He laughed.

"Let's get inside." He said still laughing lightly. We stepped out into the blinding rain. I squealed and began to run.

"Your so slow." He said in my ear. He picked me up over his shoulder and suddenly we were bursting through the front door of the house. We both laughed as he took me off of his shoulder and set me down in front of him. I stumbled backwards into the wall but he had his hand on the back of my head in a flash. Our laughing quieted and I was backed up to the wall as far as I could go but he walked two steps closer. Our bodies a hairs fraction from touching. His face inches from mine. His face was serious now, his eyes piercing. Little drops of rain dripped off the ends of his hair and onto my face. His hair was soaked and little whisps stuck to his face. He leaned down slowly pressing his cheek against mine. There was something so simple and so intimate about that one thing. He turned his head slightly and I felt his lashes batting against my face. He seemed to exhale loudly and looked back into my eyes. He looked at my eyes, my neck, my chest, my shoulders. His eyes flashed around me like he was taking in every detail of me. I had never in my life felt so truly looked at. As the pressure built I reached up running my fingers across my vervain necklace again. From the tension I managed to squeeze to hard and I felt the pinch of a cut slice my finger. I looked at it just in time to see the bead of blood come to the surface. My eyes snapped to Damon's eyes and I pressed myself harder into the wall out of mild fear. His eyes were bright suddenly, almost wild. He inhaled largely and took a step back. The feeling of him being that less close to me made me lose my senses. I held my hand out to him, my finger up so he could see the blood.

"It's just a little Damon. What's it going to hurt?" I whispered. His jaw dropped and he looked at me in shock.

"Don't Elena. It's not a game." He took another step back.

"I'm asking you to!" I raised my voice. It was a mere second that it took him to lose his control. He flashed up to me grabbing my hand and running his lips up my finger. My heart wrapped against my chest but it wasn't out of fear. Once he got a taste his eyes began to darken and he placed his mouth to my neck. I held my breath. Then I felt his kiss make it's way down. He leaned back up and his face was relaxed to normal and he was smiling gently. Damon kissed me deeply, then and I shivered as the warmth burnt through me meeting the rain pouring off my body. He lifted up the bottom of my shirt and ran his fingers down my stomach.

I reached up and ran my hand across his jaw. His eyes closed and then suddenly he back away with a sigh.

"No Damon, stop doing that." I whispered.

"I can't Elena. I told you I can't." He shook his head.

"Let go Damon. Please." I begged. That's when I saw it happen. Something I thought I would never be able to physically see. I watched the guarded walls Damon had built so strongly for so long come tumbling down. His face twisted in pain for a small moment, and then suddenly softened into an almost unrecognizable face. The rain clouds had thinned sending a small sliver of moonlight through the glass by the door. It hit across his face showing the tears forming in his eyes shining like diamonds.

"It's okay." I whispered. His reached his trembling hand toward me and walked forward. I placed my hands on both sides of his face and pulled his face in to meet mine.

"Elena." He whispered. His voice was shaky. He kissed me with more sincerity than I had ever felt in my entire life. I literally lost the strength in my knees but luckily he had his arm wrapped around me.

"It hurts so bad." He whispered between frantic kisses. His body shook with the force of tears that fueled my own. I knew that it wasn't just him letting go for me, it was him letting go and allowing himself to feel anything for the first time in ages and at that moment there was nothing more beautiful than I had ever seen or I had ever felt and I was intoxicated by the newness of his touch and his eyes shining like they were seeing the world for the first time.

"Damon Salvatore." A girls voice sounded through the silence.

**ATTN: I will be posting another chapter tonight. Thank you so much for all the support :) I truly hope your enjoying. And as always REVIEWS please! :D**


	8. Damon Meets The Sun

We turned quickly. Damon reached over and flipped on the lights. The voice had come from a girl standing right inside the living room. She was beautiful of course. Bright green eyes and wild blond hair. I stood right behind the frozen Damon who had yet to say anything.

"Damon Salvatore, still gorgeous as ever." She purred and crossed the room like a runway model. She cupped his chin in her hands and cocked her head to the side waiting for his response.

"Aralynn? What are you doing here?" He asked pushing her hand away.

"Damon! After all these years! That's so mean!" She pouted. I moved over the tiniest bit to get a better view of her.

"Oh hi!." She smiled at me. "Wow, you really do look just like Katherine." Her face fell serious for a moment. Then suddenly she burst into a wild laughter. I looked up to Damon who was still seemingly frozen in place.

"So, have you slept with this guy yet?" She asked cheerfully pointing to him with her thumb as if we were enjoying girl talk at a sleepover. "A-may-zing." She mouthed. "But then he dashes off and you don't see him again for another sixty, seventy years. What a jerk." She shook her head smiling. I had to swallow the stitch of jealousy.

"Well, anyways...unfortunately Katherine sent me here to kill you." She smiled at me. I took a step back and Damon did as well as he pushed me completely back behind him again.

"Your not touching her." He hissed. Her shrill laugh rang out again.

"Oh relax Damon, she changed her mind." She said flippantly.

"Why?" Damon demanded, with doubt in his voice.

"She decided she didn't want you Salvatore's living without Elena. She wants Elena to live without the Salvatore's." She answered bluntly.

"No!" I screeched leaping from out behind Damon. Damon snatched me back by my arm and forced be back behind him. She went on talking as if she never noticed I had moved.

"Speaking of killing you guys, where is Stefan?" She asked casually.

"You leave him alone." Damon warned. I stood behind him trying not to go into a full panic attack. I couldn't begin to believe this was really happening to me. I couldn't imagine one second without Damon and Stefan. Katherine definitely had the right idea if she was aiming to make me miserable. Or ruin my entire life.

"You can be difficult all you want Damon, but we will get him to. Katherine said if this wasn't taken care of she would come here herself. You might want to cooperate for Elena's sake." She smiled.

"Aralynn? Why is it that you are so loyal to Katherine that you would kill an old friend?" Damon spoke smoothly.

"Damon, I'm not that loyal to Katherine and what makes you think that I'm your friend. You made it perfectly clear in the past that I'm nothing to you."

"Aralynn I -" Damon began but he was cut off suddenly.

"No! You made it perfectly clear! And what is she doing here with you anyway, I had heard she was with Stefan." She look at me confused and to Damon. Then suddenly her face changed into understanding.

"Oh...I see." She laughed lowly. "History really is repeating itself I would say." She said and then all the sudden in a flash she had Damon slammed against a wall. Holding him by his shoulders.

"Your weak." She said in surprise. "Why?" She slammed him one good time against the wall for a quicker answer.

"I haven't had anything in a while." He choked out. She looked at him for a few moments. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Your not drinking human blood." She stated.

"No." He whispered.

"Who are you Damon?" She shook her head with pity. Then suddenly she pulled a dagger from her side and jammed it into Damon's stomach. I screamed and ran forward but I was grabbed by someone else behind me. They stood and covered my mouth as we watched Damon's pained face twist and he slid slowly down the wall. I struggled and kicked to get to him but whoever was holding me back wouldn't budge.

Aralynn turned to me and smiled. "You know what this is?" She said holding up the dagger in front of her. "It's filled with vervain and it releases when we get pierced with it. It's _very_ painful." She said seriously. Then smiled as if it was a joke. She turned back to Damon who had fallen to a sitting position by the wall. He looked up weakly with immense pain on his face.

"Let go of her." He barely got out. I felt tears stinging my eyes watching him in that much pain. The all the sudden Aralynn picked him up by the front of his shirt, took her other hand and jammed the dagger into him again. At that moment he hit the floor out cold. I screamed a muffled sound through my capturers hand who suddenly released me. Then a girl much shorter then me with auburn hair and cat like eyes came into view in front of me. She waved her hand across my face and I suddenly and uncontrollably fell into a deep sleep.

I woke up in a field. The sky was a deep purple with the coming of dawn. I sat up with a gasp my eyes searching instantly for Damon. I saw him now standing with his back against a tree. His eyes met mine with a withered sadness. I heard a quiet chanting and then noticed the short girl that had put me too sleep standing to the side of the tree. She was mumbling what sounded like a spell and then I noticed the chain that was wrapped around Damon snapping together by itself.

"Your a witch." I said in shock.

She rolled her eyes. "Good job." She shook her head. Once she had Damon tightly bound to the tree she turned to me.

"Why are you working with Vampires?" I asked.

"Not all of us hate each other." She shrugged.

"Stop asking so many questions it's annoying. Plus, you should be worried about bigger things right now." Aralynn said, coming out of nowhere. She walked up to Damon who was still half out of consciousness standing limply against the tree. She took his hand and pulled the ring off his finger.

"Good night sweet prince. You will burn at dawn." She purred. I got up and began to run to Damon but I was snatched up again by the incredibly strong witch.

"Oh, Calista, don't worry, let her say her goodbyes. I'm sure Katherine would love to hear about it." Aralynn said. She released me and I staggered to Damon.

"Damon!" He slowly looked up to meet my eyes. He flinched in pain but tried to smile weakly for me.

" Damon, what do I do?" I began to touch the chain around him looking for some sort of way to get it off. But it was all links with no opening. She had put a spell on it.

"There's nothing you can do." His voice was so weak I could barely hear him.

"No! There has to be something!" I began to look around. The sky was growing pink.

"Elena, look at me." He whispered. I looked up at him. His blue eyes we're weak but were still enough to take my breath away. "There's nothing sweetheart." He said his voice scratchy and worn.

Something between a scream and a sob tore from my throat. I reached out and touched his face.

"Elena, you have to do something for me."

I couldn't speak I just stared through the tears pouring from my eyes.

"You have to warn Stefan, he still has a chance. Now that we know what they are planning to do, he can stop it. Don't let them do this to him." He pleaded. I noticed suddenly the light was beginning to grow enough to start casting shadows. He looked to where the sun was beginning to rise and flinched away from the light. His body shuddered and he groaned in pain.

"No, no no." Was all I could say as I sobbed.

"Elena. Its okay. Listen to me, look at me." He whispered.

I looked up at him.

"My brother loves you Elena. He will always love you. Your going to be okay." His voice caught suddenly and a hiss of pain escaped from him. He turned away from the sun that had begun to peak above the hill in the distance. I saw the side of his neck and his arm where the rolled up sleeve stopped begin to faintly blister.

"Damon." I sobbed. I realized that everything he was saying wasn't apart of comforting me. He was saying goodbye. He writhed for a moment in pain, his jaw was clenched and he moaned in pain again.

His face relaxed for a moment and he caught my eyes with his.

"I love you Elena." He choked out. "I have from the moment I saw you. I love you like I've never loved before." He smiled as best he could with tears in his eyes.

"I love you Damon." I whispered still struggling with sobs. I saw Damons eyes flicker past me and I turned to see something I wasn't expecting.

NEW CHAPTER UP VERY SOON! BRING ON SOME REVIEWS PLEASE! :D


	9. An Amazing Pair

I watched in shock as Stefan, Anna and Bonnie came charging out into the clearing. Aralynn and Calista who were standing several feet back caught our expression and turned as well. But they turned too late. Bonnie thrust her hands toward them both and they hit the ground writhing in pain. Right as I saw Anna and Stefan launch to destroy them I turned my attention back to Damon. As if it all began to go in fast forward, suddenly I felt empowered. I would do something, I _could _do something. Suddenly rays of sun burst out over the hill and Damon shut his eyes, his body writhing under the pain. His skin began to hiss with burn. I ran to the side of him blocking out every piece of light I could with my body and remembered what I had done for Stefan once. It had to work. I stood on my toes thankful that now the only light touching him was his arm and his shoulder. From the muffled groans and his clenched jaw I came to the realization that he was trying to keep quiet for my sake. I shoved my wrist to his mouth.

"Drink!" I screamed. He shook his head violently trying to force away my wrist. I leaned into his ear.

"I would rather be dead then watch you burn." I growled through my teeth. "Now drink!" I shoved my wrist back to his mouth and I finally felt the sweet pain of his bite. I pressed my body as close to him as I could while I embraced the pain of him draining blood from my arm. It began to tingle and turn cold. My vision began to tunnel and then suddenly Stefan was grabbing other arm and yanked me away from Damon. I began to scream and kick and hit Stefan as hard as I could. On his shoulders, his chest and even his face. He looked at me in horror.

"Elena, stop!" I heard Anna from behind me. I turned to watch her shove the ring back on Damon's finger. Right when it was on the links of the chain separated and Damon staggered from the tree. We all stood in silence as we watched his skin heal before our eyes. Stefan grabbed my shoulders and spun me around to face him. He took my wrist and inspected it. It wasn't bad and he sighed and pulled me into him.

"Are you okay? I'm so sorry I wasn't here." He said softly into my hair. He leaned down and pressed his mouth into mine. At first I kissed him back, but then the shock began to ware off and I yanked myself away from him. His eyes snapped into devastation. I turned and looked behind me as I saw Damon taking off into the woods. I ran a few feet after him and then stopped on my heels and turned looking back at Stefan. Bonnie and Anna stood staring at me in shock as they were realizing what was going on. I stood between my two loves. Unable to make my feet move. Then Stefan's eyes softened and he nodded once.

"Go." He said softly. Before I could think I took off as fast as my feet would allow.

I realized once I ran for a few minutes that we were not far from the back of the Salvatore house. I ran to the door and walked in.

"Damon!" I called. There was no answer. I ran upstairs and searched frantically through the corners and rooms. Finally I made it to his room and saw the french doors opened at the end. The white curtains blew carelessly. I knew he was standing out on the balcony. I took a deep breath and walked out to meet him. He stood at the front of the balcony looking out over the woods.

"Damon?" I said quietly. He didn't turn.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes." I replied. I walked up closer to him but he stayed facing away. "I'm wondering if right now your wishing you hadn't have been saved." I said. He said nothing.

"Damon, I heard what Aralynn said about you not drinking human blood anymore. That was your plan all along wasn't it? To die?" I asked feeling my throat swell with tears.

He still stayed turned away. " Elena, don't worry about me. Please. I told you I just want you to be happy. I realized now that me being gone won't help you with that so I'll be here. However I'm sure Stefan is waiting for you to return so you can go now." He said.

I took another step closer. "I'm not going anywhere. Ever." I replied.

He turned to face me. His devastating beauty taken me by surprise once more. He studied my face for a moment.

"Don't say that." He whispered. His eyes wrecked with pain.

I walked to him and placed my hands on both sides of his face.

"I will never go anywhere your not. I'm yours and yours alone." I whispered.

His face melted into the intoxicating gentleness I couldn't get enough of. He exhaled sharply and suddenly he jerked me up into his embrace. His mouth crashing into mine. My body felt like it was in free fall from weakness. He walked us into the room and we fell into the bed. Our hands were everywhere. He pulled himself on top of me. He grabbed my wrist and looked at it for a second, where the tiny wound was. He kissed it gently and all the way up my arm till he found my mouth again. Just when the fear struck me that he would be backing away at any moment my heart exploded in my chest as I realized it was different this time. He was letting go, peeling the layers away. He was fully mine now. He slid the cloths off my body one by one. The feeling of his skin against mine was almost too much to handle. I felt as his finger tips traced every angle of my body. He looked unbearably deep into my eyes and he took me. I threw my head back and felt like I was out of my own body. His beautiful face was stricken in pleasure and his midnight hair stuck to his face. I held him close and took everything he had to give. It was beauty, it was my new reason to live.

Later that night as I lay wrapped in the sheets with him he kissed the top of my head.

"I love you." He whispered. I looked up at him. He smiled.

"I love you Damon." I replied. He kissed me softly.

"You know this isn't over yet. Right?" I asked him. He nodded.

"I know Katherine is coming." He answered. "We have to be prepared for it." He added.

"Yeah, and that's why I want you to turn me." I said looking up at him. His eyes widened.

"Elena, that's a big decision." He answered.

"A decision I've made. It's what I want." I said.

He nodded and seemed to take off in his own thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked. He grinned.

"I think we would make an amazing pair. For forever." He added.

**Okay guys! :D First of all this is may or may not be the last chapter. To be honest it's kind of up to! If you'de like me to continue please let me know! Regardless. Thank you so much for all the support! PLEASE leave reviews especially for THIS chapter and overall. I love to hear your take on all of it. Let me know! **

** Alexis Johnson**


	10. Teaser

Dedicated to: Rivenstar and LadyGwenMidas -I write to entertain. So here's your order! :D

I grabbed my cell phone and headed for the door. I felt his hand over my shoulder and I was suddenly spun around facing Damon.

"Dont go." He said.

I smiled. "Damon I haven't been home in over thirty something hours. I'm sure Jenna is going to kill me when I get back." I replied, regardless of the fact that I was instantly flattered. He smiled in return. He kissed me quickly once on the neck and once on the lips.

I headed downstairs with Damon close behind. I noticed Stefan sitting on the couch reading a book and I almost took out one of the steps when I came to a sudden halt. I felt Damon's hand on my back pushing me forward. It was a silent message I got instantly telling me that confidently walking forward would work out better in the end. I obeyed by continuing my unfaltering steps to the bottom of the stair case. Once my foot hit the bottom floor, Stefan looked up.

"Morning." He nodded. His eyes looked worn and the dark circles under his eyes made him look anciently tired. I wanted to comfort him, try to resolve this unsettled, broken look on his face. I knew in that moment that as long as both Salvatore's existed that I would never be able to have my heart in one place. Pathetic. I was pathetic.

I almost seemed to stall for a moment thinking Stefan would have more to say but he didn't. I was on cloud nine happy. But something was very off today and I didn't like it. I wanted to beat myself up and teach myself a lesson. I even gave myself a pretty logical explanation for why I felt this way today. I had been with Stefan long enough to be comfortable. Once you reach that stage it's hard not to think of the little things. I mean one day ago I was waking up to Stefan, the next Damon. I shook away my head and all my thoughts. One thing is for sure, my mind would soon be very preoccupied . I had asked Damon to turn me, and he would soon.

This is a TEASER for the sequel I will have up very soon. Don't Have a name picked out yet so add an author alert and look out for the sequel to More Than One. Thanks guys!


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